Oremus for Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Antiphon¹

Ant. Jerusalem, built as a city
whose parts are bound firmly together!
It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord,
to give thanks unto your name, O Lord.
V. I rejoiced when they said to me, *
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
And now our feet are standing *
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
There were set the thrones for judgment, *
the thrones of the house of David. Psalm 122

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires, known,
and from whom no secrets are hid:
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Music: https://tinyurl.com/ycn4djk5

O Lord, open my lips.
And my mouth will declare your praise.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
make haste to help me, O Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to you, O Christ, Alleluia!

HYMN: 11th century; trans. John Mason Neale
Tune: Tibi Christe, splendor Patris https://tinyurl.com/3j5mwr87
Tune: Lauda anima https://tinyurl.com/33deeo2j

1. Alleluia, song of gladness,
voice of joy that cannot die;
alleluia is the anthem
ever raised by choirs on high;
in the house of God abiding
thus they sing eternally.

2. Alleluia thou resoundest,
true Jerusalem and free;
alleluia, joyful mother,
all thy children sing with thee;
but by Babylon’s sad waters
mourning exiles now are we.

3. Alleluia though we cherish
and would chant for evermore
alleluia in our singing,
let us for a while give o’er,
as our Savior in his fasting
pleasures of the world forbore.

4. Therefore in our hymns we pray thee,
grant us, blessed Trinity,
at the last to keep thine Easter
with thy faithful saints on high;
there to thee for ever singing
alleluia joyfully.

PSALMS
For psalms in contemporary language, https://tinyurl.com/y9tjh7rk

Psalm 82 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/razmhgg)

1  God standeth in the congregation of princes *
 he is a Judge among gods.
2  How long will ye give wrong judgement *
 and accept the persons of the ungodly?
3  Defend the poor and fatherless *
 see that such as are in need and necessity have right.
4  Deliver the out-cast and poor *
 save them from the hand of the ungodly.
5  They will not be learned nor understand, but walk on still in darkness *
 all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
6  I have said, Ye are gods *
 and ye are all the children of the most Highest.
7  But ye shall die like men *
 and fall like one of the princes.
8  Arise, O God, and judge thou the earth *
 for thou shalt take all heathen to thine inheritance.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

Psalm 83 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/vofvsch)

1  Hold not thy tongue, O God, keep not still silence *
 refrain not thyself, O God.
2  For lo, thine enemies make a murmuring *
 and they that hate thee have lift up their head.
3  They have imagined craftily against thy people *
 and taken counsel against thy secret ones.
4  They have said, Come, and let us root them out,
that they be no more a people *
 and that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5  For they have cast their heads together with one consent *
 and are confederate against thee;
6  The tabernacles of the Edomites, and the Ismaelites *
 the Moabites, and Hagarens;
7  Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek *
 the Philistines, with them that dwell at Tyre.
8  Assur also is joined with them *
 and have holpen the children of Lot.
9  But do thou to them as unto the Madianites *
 unto Sisera, and unto Jabin at the brook of Kison;
10  Who perished at Endor *
 and became as the dung of the earth.
11  Make them and their princes like Oreb and Zeb *
 yea, make all their princes like as Zeba and Salmana;
12  Who say, Let us take to ourselves *
 the houses of God in possession.
13  O my God, make them like unto a wheel *
 and as the stubble before the wind;
14  Like as the fire that burneth up the wood *
 and as the flame that consumeth the mountains.
15  Persecute them even so with thy tempest *
 and make them afraid with thy storm.
16  Make their faces ashamed, O Lord *
 that they may seek thy Name.
17  Let them be confounded and vexed ever more and more *
 let them be put to shame, and perish.
18  And they shall know that thou, whose Name is Jehovah *
 art only the most Highest over all the earth.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

Psalm 84 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/qtssfwx)

1  O how amiable are thy dwellings *
 thou Lord of hosts!
2  My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord *
 my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
3  Yea, the sparrow hath found her an house,
and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young *
 even thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
4  Blessed are they that dwell in thy house *
 they will be alway praising thee.
5  Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee *
 in whose heart are thy ways.
6  Who going through the vale of misery use it for a well *
 and the pools are filled with water.
7  They will go from strength to strength *
 and unto the God of gods appeareth every one of them in Sion.
8  O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer *
 hearken, O God of Jacob.
9  Behold, O God our defender *
 and look upon the face of thine Anointed.
10  For one day in thy courts *
 is better than a thousand.
11  I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God *
 than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness.
12  For the Lord God is a light and defence *
 the Lord will give grace and worship,
and no good thing shall he withhold from them that live a godly life.
13  O Lord God of hosts *
 blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

Psalm 85 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/wzy6e5z)

1  Lord, thou art become gracious unto thy land *
 thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.
2  Thou hast forgiven the offence of thy people *
 and covered all their sins.
3  Thou hast taken away all thy displeasure *
 and turned thyself from thy wrathful indignation.
4  Turn us then, O God our Saviour *
 and let thine anger cease from us.
5  Wilt thou be displeased at us for ever *
 and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from one generation to another?
6  Wilt thou not turn again, and quicken us *
 that thy people may rejoice in thee?
7  Shew us thy mercy, O Lord *
 and grant us thy salvation.
8  I will hearken what the Lord God will say concerning me *
 for he shall speak peace unto his people,
and to his saints, that they turn not again.
9  For his salvation is nigh them that fear him *
 that glory may dwell in our land.
10  Mercy and truth are met together *
 righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11  Truth shall flourish out of the earth *
 and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.
12  Yea, the Lord shall shew loving-kindness *
 and our land shall give her increase.
13  Righteousness shall go before him *
 and he shall direct his going in the way.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

PRAYER

God of grace,
you loved the world so much
that you gave your only Son to be our Savior.
Help us to rejoice in your redeeming grace
by showing mercy,
and by walking in the way of justice and peace,
for the sake of Jesus Christ, redeemer of the world. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: Ruth 4:1-22

No sooner had Boaz gone up to the gate and sat down there than the next-of-kin, of whom Boaz had spoken, came passing by. So Boaz said, ‘Come over, friend; sit down here.’ And he went over and sat down. Then Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, ‘Sit down here’; so they sat down. He then said to the next-of-kin, ‘Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our kinsman Elimelech. So I thought I would tell you of it, and say: Buy it in the presence of those sitting here, and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not, tell me, so that I may know; for there is no one prior to you to redeem it, and I come after you.’ So he said, ‘I will redeem it.’ Then Boaz said, ‘The day you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, you are also acquiring Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead man, to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance.’ At this, the next-of-kin said, ‘I cannot redeem it for myself without damaging my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.’

Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, one party took off a sandal and gave it to the other; this was the manner of attesting in Israel. So when the next-of-kin said to Boaz, ‘Acquire it for yourself’, he took off his sandal. Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, ‘Today you are witnesses that I have acquired from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance, in order that the name of the dead may not be cut off from his kindred and from the gate of his native place; today you are witnesses.’ Then all the people who were at the gate, along with the elders, said, ‘We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you produce children in Ephrathah and bestow a name in Bethlehem; and, through the children that the Lord will give you by this young woman, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.’

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.’ Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. The women of the neighbourhood gave him a name, saying, ‘A son has been born to Naomi.’ They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Now these are the descendants of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron of Ram, Ram of Amminadab, Amminadab of Nahshon, Nahshon of Salmon, Salmon of Boaz, Boaz of Obed, Obed of Jesse, and Jesse of David.

HYMN: James Montgomery
Tune: Es flog ein kleins Waldvöglein

Tune: Crüger https://tinyurl.com/3vp7yf6c

1 Hail to the Lord’s Anointed,
great David’s greater Son!
hail, in the time appointed,
his reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
to set the captive free,
to take away transgression,
and rule in equity.

2 He comes with succour speedy
to those who suffer wrong;
to help the poor and needy,
and bid the weak be strong;
to give them songs for sighing,
their darkness turn to light,
whose souls, condemned and dying,
were precious in his sight.

3 He shall come down like showers
upon the fruitful earth,
and love, joy, hope, like flowers,
spring in his path to birth:
before him on the mountains
shall peace, the herald, go;
and righteousness in fountains
from hill to valley flow.

4 Kings shall bow down before him,
and gold and incense bring;
all nations shall adore him,
his praise all people sing:
to him shall prayer unceasing
and daily vows ascend;
his kingdom still increasing,
a kingdom without end.

5 O’er every foe victorious,
he on his throne shall rest;
from age to age more glorious,
all-blessing and all-blest:
the tide of time shall never
his covenant remove;
his name shall stand for ever,
his changeless name of love.

Reading: Revelation 1:9-20

I, John, your brother who share with you in Jesus the persecution and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, ‘Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamum, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.’

Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands I saw one like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining with full force.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he placed his right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living one. I was dead, and see, I am alive for ever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and of Hades. Now write what you have seen, what is, and what is to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

HYMN: Stopford A Brooke
Music: Llanfair https://tinyurl.com/2nj3usht

1 Let the whole creation cry, Alleluia!
“Glory be to God on high!” Alleluia!
Sun and moon, lift up your voice, Alleluia!
Night and stars, in God rejoice, Alleluia!

2 All who strive to serve the Lord, Alleluia!
Prophets burning with God’s word, Alleluia!
Those to whom the arts belong, Alleluia!
Add your voices to the song, Alleluia!

3 Men and women, young and old, Alleluia!
Raise the anthem manifold; Alleluia!
Join with children’s songs of praise, Alleluia!
Worship God through all your days, Alleluia!

Reading: Matthew 11:2-15

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.’

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written,
“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
   who will prepare your way before you.”
Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John came; and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. Let anyone with ears listen!

CANTICLE Isaiah 12:2-6
(Uptown Worship Band: https://tinyurl.com/y8q877og)

Refrain:
Surely, it is God who saves;
I will and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my sure defense,
and he will be my Savior.

Therefore you shall draw water
and rejoice from the salvation spring.
On that day you shall say,
give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name. Refrain

Make his deeds known among the people;
they remember his Name on high.
Sing praise to the Lord, for he has done great things,
and this is known in all the world. Refrain

Cry aloud, O Zion, ring out your joy,
for the great one in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

THE PRAYERS ^BCW

We rejoice in your generous goodness, O God, and celebrate your lavish gifts to
us this day, for you have shown your love in giving Jesus Christ for the salvation
of the world. Especially we give thanks for
the labors of those who have served us today . . .
friends with whom we have shared . . .
those whom we love and have loved us . . .
opportunities for our work to help others . . .
all beauty that delights us. . . .

Gracious God, we know you are close to all in need, and by our prayers for others
we come closer to you. We are bold to claim for others your promises of new
life in Jesus Christ, as we claim them for ourselves. Especially we pray for
those in dangerous occupations . . .
physicians and nurses . . .
those who are ill or confined to nursing homes . . .
those who mourn . . .
the Roman Catholic Church. . . .

(Karin Simmons: https://tinyurl.com/y7vwp7dd)

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread;
and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

O God of Isaiah and John the Baptist,
through all such faithful ones
you proclaim the unfolding of future joy
and renewed life.
Strengthen our hearts to believe your promise
that one day we will walk in the holy way of Christ,
where sorrow and sighing will be no more
and the journey of God’s people will be joy. Amen. ^RCLP

Music: https://tinyurl.com/y9efvwm5
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen. 2 Cor. 13:14

---

^BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.

^RCLP Revised Common Lectionary Prayers. © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress.

¹ Adam Bartlett, Simple English Propers; audio from https://musicasacra.com/additional-publications/sep-practice-videos/ ©

The three main scripture readings are from the The New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Edition, The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662).

Musical links are usually either to artists’ albums posted on Spotify or to recordings made available at smallchurchmusic.com. Audio stripped from YouTube videos is footnoted accordingly above.

Compilation © 2020 Stephen T. Benner. All links worked at the time they were created, but I cannot accept responsibility for their content or any damage resulting from their use. The linked content is under the control of the respective content creators and is subject to change at any time. Any copyright texts included in this compilation are provided for non-commercial purposes related to study or worship. Please contact the respective copyright holders for permission to use the texts in other contexts.